Dodecyl gallate is a derivative of the antioxidant gallic acid that has diverse biological activities, including antioxidant, antiproliferative, and antibacterial properties.^1,2,3It inhibits proliferation of a variety of cancer cells, including WEHI-231 mouse B cell lymphoma, Daudi human lymphoma, and HT-29 human colon cancer cells (IC₅₀s = 0.8, 1.4, and 17.0 µM, respectively).¹It induces apoptosis of WEHI-231 cells but not L-929 mouse fibroblasts. Dodecyl gallate decreases peroxidation of ox brain phospholipid liposomes by 71 and 76% when used at concentrations of 12 and 50 µM, respectively, and scavenges trichloromethyl peroxyl radicals at 0.05% w/v.²It is active against a variety of Gram-positive bacteria, includingB. subtilis(MIC = 25 µg/ml), as well asM. luteus,S. aureus, and methicillin-resistantS. aureus(MRSA; MICs = 12.5 µg/ml for all), and acts by inhibiting the bacterial membrane respiratory chain.³

1.Serrano, A., Palacios, C., Roy, G., et al.Derivatives of gallic acid induce apoptosis in tumoral cell lines and inhibit lymphocyte proliferationArch. Biochem. Biophys.350(1)49-54(1998) 2.Aruoma, O.I., Murcia, A., Butler, J., et al.Evaluation of the antioxidant and prooxidant actions of gallic acid and its derivativesJ. Agric. Food Chem.41(11)1880-1885(1993) 3.Kubo, I., Fujita, K.-i., Nihei, K.-i., et al.Non-antibiotic antibacterial activity of dodecyl gallateBioorg. Med. Chem.11(4)573-580(2003)